Free Darkened by S. L. Gavyn Page A

e name is it?”
    He looked at me for a moment and was about to answer when I saw a shadow form in the light coming from the doorway behind me.
    Luke said, “Jared.” As I heard the man, himself, start to talk.
    “Hey Luke, I heard Avery was here.” I turned to look at him. “Oh, there you are. What are you doing in here?” he said while standing in the doorway.
    Gods he was just as good looking when I was sober as he was when I was drunk. He wasn’t wearing any liner tonight and his hair wasn’t as spiked up. It actually fell partly in his eyes. He, also, wasn’t wearing solid black. He instead had jeans and a t-shirt on, and Gods did they look good on him.
     
    I could tell by Luke’s response that the symbol was Jared’s name so I looked back at Luke.
    “Thank you for your time, Luke.” I pulled out one of my personal cards and laid it on the couch between us then picked up the picture of Amber he had laid down. “If you can think of anything else, give me a call.”
    I held out my hand to shake his, but he didn’t take it so I shrugged, got up and walked over to Jared.
    “Jared, I would like to ask you some questions regarding an investigation I’m currently working on for the Human’s Rights task force.” I showed him my badged.
    He just looked at me for a moment before saying, “Sure Avery, come back to my office.” Then he motioned for me to go first out of the room.
     
    Once in the hall, I let him guide me to a door further down the corridor. He opened the door, and I walked in and had a seat in front of the desk while he sat behind it.
    “Would you like something to drink?” he asked.
    “No, thank you. Would you prefer me to call you Jared or,” I looked at my notes then back at him. “Mr. Damascus during this interview?”
    “Oh, I think we know each other well enough to be on a first name basis. Don’t you?”
    I ignored his innuendo.
    “Alright.” I pulled out the picture of Amber and showed it to him. “Do you recognize this woman?”
    He looked at the picture for a moment before answering.
    “She doesn’t look familiar.”
    “Are you sure? Maybe a groupie or a one night stand?”
    He looked me in the eyes. “I don’t do one night stands.”
    I raised a brow. “Surely, you don’t expect me to believe that.”
    “It is the truth.”
    “You’re saying that if I wouldn’t have stopped things the other night, you would not have had a one night stand with me?”
    I didn’t really want to bring the other night into this , but he was blatantly lying to me.
    “Oh, it would have lasted longer than a single night,” he said as he looked me up and down.
    “Okay, maybe she was a two or three night stand?”
    I was purposely not picturing him hot and sweaty for three nights straight.
    “I remember every woman I have been with, Avery, and I’m telling you that I was not with her.”
    “Very well,” I showed him Stephen’s photo. “Do you recognize him?”
    So help me Gods if he tells me no, I’m going to punch him.
    “That’s our sound board guy, Stephen. Did something happen to him?”
    “He’s dead. As is the woman. Both were last seen here at Halo. Why did Stephen’s friend cover for him last weekend?”
    “He went on vacation. His friend lives in Tennessee , and he was supposed to leave to go see him almost two weeks ago. He brought Kyle in to sub for him until he got back. When was he killed?”
    “The same night he was last seen here. Why is it that his boss at Leon’s Coffee knew nothing about this vacation?”
    “I had gotten him a job as DJ before and after the show on the nights we performed. He said he was going to quit the coffee shop since he wouldn’t need the money anymore.”
    I nodded. “Were you romantically involved with Stephen?”
    It made sense. Stephen was gay and had a thing for Jared. Jared turns around and arranges for him to get a better paying job.
    “You sure are concerned about my love life. Perhaps there is an ulterior motive,” he